About AJ Forensics
This site exists to impart confidential, high quality forensic science services to professional and commercial organisations as well as to interested members of the public. Police officers engaged in crime investigation can have serious doubts about crime scene processing. They can post their problems here and receive detailed guidance on the steps to take.
The motivation behind this venture was a question asked by a few civil police officers who had a genuine interest in conducting successful investigations but no grounding in forensic science. After a short class at the Kerala Police Academy they asked: from where can we get relevant information while dealing with a crime investigation, and whom can we contact for guidance in case of doubt? Practising lawyers, who need a deep knowledge of forensic science but seldom have it, ask much the same thing.
The consultant
Smt. Annamma John is the former Assistant Director of the Forensic Science Laboratory, Kerala and a highly professional forensic scientist with hundreds of successful investigations to her credit. She is hard working and practical, with a professional approach to solving crime scene problems.
She has 30 plus years of experience in the field of forensic science, during which she practised forensic analysis as well as scene of crime investigation, to which she brings an excellent interest and an advanced knowledge of the practices criminals use to escape detection.
She has a proven track record as a professional trainer and worked at the Kerala Police Academy as senior instructor and Head of the Department in charge of Forensic Science. Her present assignment is with the Kerala Police Academy, which has declared her an eminent resource person in forensic science on the strength of the feedback from her classes. Her expertise is also requested by the National Investigation Agency, the National University of Advanced Legal Studies and other law colleges.
Being continuously engaged in skill upgradation, her forensic expertise for crime investigation is regularly sought by investigators of the Kerala Police and frequently by sleuths from the Central Bureau of Investigation and the National Investigation Agency.
Who this is for
Investigating officers
Police officers engaged in crime investigation who need information about advanced forensic techniques and the precautions to adopt at the scene to collect the maximum evidence and identify the offender.
Lawyers and prosecutors
Practising lawyers and prosecutors who need forensic information for the efficient examination and cross examination of clients and witnesses.
Media
Media professionals who need quality forensic information on sensational cases in order to conduct informed discussion.
Victims and families
Victims and their relatives who need expert guidance for effective prosecution and the enforcement of justice.
Students
Forensic science students who need academic guidance for the successful completion of their project work.
Areas of service
Assistance is available for crime scene investigation across the areas that arise most often. Choose the closest one when you post a query.
- Physical evidencePhysical evidence and its importance in crime investigation.
- Crime scene protectionCrime scene protection measures, and the precautions an investigating officer must observe to maintain the integrity of the evidence.
- Handling and packing exhibitsHandling, packing and labelling of crime scene exhibits.
- Forwarding note to FSLThe questions worth asking the Forensic Science Laboratory when filling the forwarding note, so as to derive the maximum information from the exhibits sent.
- Blood and pattern analysisThe importance of blood as a forensic clue, and the relevance of blood stain pattern analysis to crime scene reconstruction.
- Body fluidsThe importance of body fluids such as saliva and semen in cases of hurt and homicide, sexual abuse, and other offences against women and children.
- DNA profilingDNA profiling: its importance, its applications, and the preservation of samples for analysis.
- Touch DNATouch DNA and its relevance in crime investigation: the exhibits from which it can be expected, and the precautions needed to obtain it.
- Forensic odontologyLinking an offender to the scene and the victim through bite mark evidence: processing marks from foodstuffs and from the human body, and collecting saliva and bite mark evidence from living and dead persons.
- Ballistics and firearmsLifting and packing a firearm from the scene, handling fired bullets and cartridge cases, packing the clothes of a victim, collecting gunshot residue for shooter identification, and the questions to put to the laboratory.
- Hit and runThe relevance of glass, soil, paint, tyre marks and skid marks in accident investigation.
- Skull superimpositionThe procedure for sending exhibits for skull superimposition.
- ArsonIdentifying the origin of a fire, and identifying and collecting the samples that establish its cause.
- Digital evidenceProcessing of digital evidence.
- ExplosivesIdentifying the seat of an explosion, defusing live explosives, collecting touch DNA from explosive remnants, and forwarding explosive exhibits to the laboratory.
- NarcoticsIdentification, sampling, packing and forwarding of narcotic exhibits.
- Questioned documentsCollection of standards, packing of charred documents, handling of indentations and suicide notes to identify the writer, and lifting fingerprints and touch DNA from a document.
- Counterfeit currencySecurity features and the identification of forgery.
- Forensic toxicologyCollecting evidence from a poisoning case, preventing evaporative loss, common plant poisons, and the relevance of hair, body fluids, nail and bone marrow.
- Trace evidenceThe basic principles and collection procedures for trace evidence across case types, and how it links an offender to the scene.
Please note. Although this site is meant for answering queries online, it is often not possible to elicit the full details of a context without face to face interaction. In such situations a meeting in person is advised. Terms and conditions apply; please read the terms of service before you begin.